laughter

American  

[laf-ter, lahf-] / ˈlæf tər, ˈlɑf- /

noun

1. the action or sound of laughing. laughing.

2. an inner quality, mood, disposition, etc., suggestive of laughter; mirthfulness.

   a man of laughter and goodwill.

3. an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement.

4. Archaic. an object of laughter; subject or matter for amusement.

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laughter British  

/ ˈlɑːftə /

noun

1. the action of or noise produced by laughing

2. the experience or manifestation of mirth, amusement, scorn, or joy

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Other Word Forms

• laughterless adjective

Etymology

Origin of laughter

before 900; Middle English; Old English hleahtor; cognate with Old High German hlahtar, Old Norse hlātr; laugh

Example Sentences

She wrote: "My Sweet Nicky, thank you for years of laughter, love and Dodgers. I will think of you every time I see a rocking chair. I love you. RIP."

From BBC

It means bringing people together through laughter like the good old shows back in the day — “Saved by the Bell,” “Family Matters.”

From Los Angeles Times

With an apology to his wife and me, he hurried upstairs and in a minute we heard a game of hide-and-seek going and the shrill laughter of two children.

From Literature

The nursing home was loud with laughter that morning as the old folks watched them gallivanting out there in the snow.

From Literature

Carson’s amazing comedic monologues and silly antics gave viewers humor without being annoying, his off-the-cuff quips were hilarious, and interviews with interesting guests sparked laughter.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amusement
• chuckle
• giggle
• glee
• guffaw
• hilarity
• laugh
• mirth
• roar
• shout
• shriek
• snicker